Lubricating mechanism.



DI R. SCHOLES. LUBRIOATING MEGHANISM. APPLIOATION FILED APR. 9, 1914.

1,101,21 1 Patented June 23, 1914.

wwf/gf To all whom it may] concern has, performed its lubricating 'function and .UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

DANIEL E. sCL'IoLEs, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOis, AssIGNoR To .AEIwI-OTOR COMIIJANY, or

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

LUBRICATING EICIIANISM.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

latented June Be it yknown that I, DANIEL R. SCHoLEs, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the countyAgfCook and State of Illi.

nois, have invented a certain new Aand useful Im rovement in. Lubricating Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

. The invention relates to lubricatingr mechanism and has for its object the provision .of improved means for lubricating shafts and bearings and freely removing the lubricant after it has erformed its work.

In the pre erred embodiment of the inventionv means are afforded for effecting the continuous circulation of lubricating oil from a receptacle through the bearings to be lubricated thence bac'k to the receptacle, an oil containing chamber receiving the oil after it from which chamber the oil is returned to said rece tacle, this chamber preferably encircling t e shaft which is coupled therewith so as vto rotate in an upright plane to enable the oil to be lifted from the bottom of the chamber in order that itvmay descend into a Asuitable free4 passage leading to said recep'tacle /The invention willbe explained more fully by reference'to the accom anying drawing showingthe manner in w ichhitV is preferably embodied in a wind mill structure and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig-l; Fig. 3 is a view on line ,3 3 'of Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a plan view,

partially in section, of a part of the mechanism. A

Like parts. are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout thedili'erent f figures'.

The horizontal hub l of the upright wind wheel of the wind mill extendstoward the lubricant `oil containin ear case or rece tacle 2. The shaft 3 o te wind wheel is m xed relation to vsaid huband fixedly carries tlwo prihtlpinionswor gears 4 (1 that Iare in niesh with twp upright gearsv 5 5 iny driving connection with the load element that the mill is tooperate.l .The windwheel shaft arid the. gears 4, 5 have suitable bearings the gear case which constitutes an enlargement lofor is carried by the wind wheel supporting mill head that is suitably mounted to turn about an .upright axis. The elongatedshaft bearing 6 is desirably integrally cast with the gear case and preferably has a lining 7 of Babbitt metal or other antifriction material for the aft to turn withm.. An intermediate portion of the lining? is removed tol form an annular lubricant Oil receptacle 8 about an intermediate portion of theshaft 3 and within the bearing 6. The hub bore is closed at its left hand or outer end ,by the shaft 3 upon which the hub is r1g1dly secured, but is enlarged adjacent this end to form an annular lubricant oil containing chamber 9 that has an upright plane of lrotation because of its fixed or coupled connection with thev horizontal shaft. The chamber is confined, in extent, to the left hand or Outer end of the bearing 6 that has a llangelO to separate the space of chamber 9 from the balance of -the hub bore portion which surrounds said bearing. While the chamber 9 happens to be formed in the hub ofa wind wheel the invention is not to be limited to such a location of the chamber. A portion of the bearing projects well into the spaceof the chamber 9, an end .thrust take up device or bearin 1 1 intervening between the outer end of t e hub and the conti ous end of the bearing.

An inc ined oil leader or wick 12, that is desirably composed of spirally 'wound wire strands, serves to receive oil carried up by the teeth of one ofthe gears 5 (with which teeth the wick or lubricant :conveyer preferably contacts oryalmost contacts) from the lower portion of the gear case 2 and` to transfer the same to an inclinedpassage or channel 13 passing through the bearing' 6 into Vcommunication with the receptacle 8. ,The

Oil that is caught in t e chamber 9 renos turned tothe gear ca's'eioi repeated by means whose preferredforrn willgb described. A free oil passage 1 4, of which the receptacle 8 may be saId to constitute a reservoir like enlargement, is formed by matched grooves in the bearing 6 and its lining 7, and serves to pass or return oil from the chamber 9 first to the receptacle 8 and then to the gear' case 2 from which clase it is taken for repeated use. The passage 14 terminates at the left of the structure in a well 15 formed in an upper portion of the bearing that underlies the upper part of the cylindrical or transverse wall portion`of the rotating chamber 9, this chamber wall portion operating to elevate a film of oil a part of which-descends into the well from which it flows into the sections of passage 14 that return it freely to the gear case. 'lhe invention is not to be limited, however, to the transfer of oilfto'the passage 14 from the transverse part of the wall of chamber 9. ln order to promote the descent of oil from the upper part of the,chamber 9 to the passage 14, a leader 16 is employed which is screwed into the bearing 6 and is surrounded by the border of the well 15. The upper end of this leader may be in the form of a tube whose upper edge conforms to the shape of the cylindrical wall of chamber 9 and is nearly or quite in contact with this wall. The tubular portion of leader 16 has a slot 17 through which oil that enters said tubular portion may find passage to the well and thence ultimately to the gear case. A plug 18 affords access to the chamber 9.

By means of the structure described, the oil may be copiously supplied from the gear case to the bearings to be'lubricated and is freely returned so that it will not remain in accumulation outside of the gear case. The bottoms of gears 5 are well below the adjacent end of the oil passage 14, as is the bottom of the gear case of course, whereby said gear case may contain an ample supply of lubricant.

While l have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following 1. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a shaft rotating with said chamber; a bearing for said shaft, said shaft and bearing having portions within said chamber; earing in connection with said shaft; a lubrlcant containing gear case for said gearing; a lubricant conveyer positioned between said gearin and the-bearing to transfer lubricant e evated by the gearing to enga ed surfaces ofthe shaft and earlng, there eing a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said gear case and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated transverse wall portion of said chamber; and a leader carried within thev chamber by the bearing in close proximity to said chamber wall portion Ifor taking lubricant therefrom and promoting its flow to said passage.

2. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a shaft rotating with said chamber; a bearing for said shaft, said shaft and bearing having portions within said chamber; gearing in connection with said shaft; a lubricant containing gear case for said gearing; and a lubricant conveyer positioned between said gearing and the bearing to transfer lubricant elevated by the gearing to engaged surfaces of the shaft and bearing, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said gear case and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated transverse wall portion of said chamber.

3. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having anupright plane of rotation; a shaft rotating with said chamber; a bearing for said shaft,

said shaft andhearing having portions within said chamber; gearing in connection with said shaft; a lubricant containing gear case for said gearing; and a lubricant conveyer positioned between said gearing and the bearing to transfer lubricant elevated by the gearing to engaged surfaces of the shaft and bearing, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said gear case and having itsreceiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated wall portion of said chamber.

4. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright lane of rotation; a` rotating shaft; a bearmg for said shaft; gearing in connection with said shaft; a lubricant containing gear case for said gearing; a lubricant conveyer positioned between said gearing and the bearing to transfer lubricant elevated by the gearing to engaged surfaces of the shaft and bearing, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said gear case and havin its receiving end in position to receive lu ricant descending from an elevated transversewall portion of said chamber; and a leader in close proximity to said chamber wall portion for taking lubricant therefrom and promoting its flow to said passage.

5. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a rotating shaft; a bearing for said shaft; earing in connection with said shaft; alu ricant containing gear case for said ,and a lubricant conveyer positioned between said gearing and the bearing to transfer lubricant elevated by the gearing to engaged surfaces of the shaft and bearing, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said gear case and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated transverse wall portion of said chamber.

6. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a rotating shaft; a bearing for said shaft; gearing in connection with said shaft; a lubricant containing gear case for said gearing; and a lubricant conveyer positioned between said gearing and the bearing to a transfer lubricant elevated by the gearing to engaged surfaces of the shaft and bearing, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said gear case and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated Wall portion of said chamber.

7. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a shaft rotating with said chamber; a bearing for-said shaft, said shaft and bearing having portions within said chamber; a lubricant receptacle in communication with said bearing for supplying lubricant to engaging 'surfaces of said bearing and shaft, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said receptacle and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated transverse wall portion of said chamber; and a leader carried Within the chamber by the bearing in close proximity to said chamber wall port-ion for takin lubricant therefrom and promoting its ow to said passage.

8. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a shaft rotating with said chamber; a bearing for said shaft, said shaft and bearing having portions within said chamber; and a lubricant receptacle in communication with said bearing for supplying lubricant to engaging surfaces of said bearing and shaft, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said receptacle` and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elegated transverse Wall portion of said cham- 9. Lubricating mechanism including a 1u.-

bricanty receiving chamber having an up- -vated Wall portion of said chamber.`

l0. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an u right plane of rotation; a rotating sha a bearing for said shaft; a lubricant receptacle in communication with said bearing for supplying lubricant to engaging surfaces of said bearing and shaft, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said receptacle and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated transverse wall portion of said chamber; and a leader in close proximity to said chamber wall portion for taking'lubricant therefrom and promoting its flow to said passage.

11. Lubricating mechanism including a lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a rotating shaft; a bearing for said shaft; and a lubricant receptacle in communication with said bearing for supplying lubricant to engaging surfaces of said bearing and shaft, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said receptacle and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated transverse Wall portion of said chamber.

12. Lubricating mechanism including a..

lubricant receiving chamber having an upright plane of rotation; a rotatin shaft; a bearingfor said shaft; and a lubricant receptacle in communication with said bearing for supplying lubricant to engaging surfaces of said bearing and shaft, there being a comparatively free lubricant returning passage communicating with said receptacle and having its receiving end in position to receive lubricant descending from an elevated wall portion of said chamber.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of March A. D., .1914.

DANIEL R. SCHOLES. Witnesses:

JAMES P. CoNDoN, Lan P. MlLLARD. 

